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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire message from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and revamped the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and background in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the recent years producing and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to persist observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that change every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game does not have an official debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as production progresses.